For the Love of Pick-up Trucks
Photo by Caleb White @_caleb_white_ Text by Joanne M. Anderson Not a lot of things top the charts, statistics, moods and whims of American buyers for more than just a few months, never mind for years, yet the Ford F-150 has been the top selling pick-up truck for 43 years. The appeal includes its full size, usefulness, reliability and towing capabilities mingled with style, comfort, luxury and technology. Pickup trucks in general are kind of an American icon, like apple pie, Johnny Cash, cowboy boots and Route 66. There are not so many of them in other countries, by far, and of the top 25 vehicles sold in 2020, according to caranddriver.com, the top three are pickup trucks: Ford F-150, followed by Chevrolet’s Silverado and the Ram pickup. Two more pickups grace the list of the top 25, and there’s one van, nine
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SUVs and 10 cars. The accessories for pick-up trucks can add a lot of protection and convenience. According to pickuptrucks. com, the top 10 most popular add-ons are [in order from number 1 to 10]:
Heavy-duty trailer hitch Satellite radio Running boards Fog lamps Custom floor mats Spray-on bedliner Custom wheels Tailgate protector iPod/MP3 connectivity Wheel splash guards
The Fleming family in Blacksburg likes the side steps, aka
running boards, on their red 2016 Ram sport. “It makes it much easier to get in and out of the truck, especially for shorter people, elderly folks and when parked on a hill,” states Kristie Fleming. “And it adds protection from rock chips being thrown up as well as protects from bushes and rocks rubbing on the finish when you find yourself off pavement.” Surprisingly, tonneau covers were not on the above list, but they are very popular to protect whatever you place into the truck bed, which, of course, has a bed liner before you put anything in it. Bed liners come in a custom fit for many models; the full bed liner goes up the sides and over the wheel wells, while a simple one only lines the floor of the truck bed. Mats are useful for just the floor part, and there are several tailgate
May/June 2021
